K Bread, Biscuit, and Beer Prices Could Rise Due to Devastatingly Wet Weather

A new report warns that the prices of staples like bread and biscuits, as well as the beloved British pint, could soon increase due to a devastatingly wet season that has severely impacted crop harvests.

The Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) suggests that wheat, barley, and oat yields could be down by more than 17% this year compared to 2023. This shortfall could force UK food producers to import more grain, potentially driving up costs across the supply chain.

The UK has experienced record-breaking rainfall this winter, followed by a soggy spring, leaving fields waterlogged and unsuitable for planting. The ECIU analysis of government data estimates a drop of four million tonnes in theUK production of wheat, barley, oats, and oilseed rape in 2024.

While recent inflation figures brought some relief due to slower price increases for bread and baked goods, this trend could be short-lived. Last week, the head of Associated British Foods, a major bread producer, cautioned that smaller UK wheat harvests this year might necessitate price hikes.

Tom Lancaster, land analyst at ECIU, stated: “This washout winter is playing havoc with farmers’ fields…This is likely to mean not only a financial hit for farmers but higher imports as we look to plug the gap left by a shortfall in UK supply.” He added, “There’s also a real risk that the price of bread, beer, and biscuits could increase as the poor harvest may lead to higher costs.”

Industry experts like Ollie Johnson, head of farming systems and agronomy at the AHDB, confirm the dire situation, stating, “The weather has just been awful right the way through from the autumn until now.” While wheat is typically planted in both autumn and spring, both seasons have been severely compromised.